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Bev Mackereth to become acting public welfare secretary for Pennsylvania

Gov. Tom Corbett was at Crispus Attucks to talk about early child care Friday morning.

By ANGIE MASON Daily Record/Sunday News

Updated:
02/08/2013 10:46:41 PM EST

Bev Mackereth, right, looks on as Gary Alexander steps down from his post and announces Mackereth as acting secretary for the state Department of Public Welfare. (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS -- KATE PENN)

Bev Mackereth talks during a press conference that named her acting secretary for the state department of public welfare at Cripus Attucks Early Learning Center Friday, February 8, 2013. DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - KATE PENN (YORK DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS -)

Bev Mackereth, who has worked her way through government positions, including state legislator and York County's human services director, said Friday she was honored to be named acting secretary for the Pennsylvania's public welfare department.

Mackereth, who has been serving as the department's deputy director for the Office of Children, Youth and Families since 2011, will take the reins from Secretary Gary Alexander, whose last day will be Feb. 15. Gov. Tom Corbett announced the appointment in a news release.

"All I can see is good things moving forward," she said. "I'm the lucky one. (Alexander) did the hard stuff. I get to come in and reinvest back into the programs that we all want, that we all need, that make the biggest difference for the people that need them the most."

Alexander, who said he is leaving to spend more time with his family in Rhode Island and pursue private-sector opportunities, spoke of working to "right size," reform and reprioritize the department, as Corbett asked him to do.

He said Corbett's proposed budget reflects work in that area, citing increased investments in programs for people with intellectual disabilities and in early education.

"These are things we couldn't do the first two years when (the department) was growing at three to four times the rate of general revenue," Alexander said. "Whenever you have programs growing much faster than general revenue, it starts to crowd out important priorities."

There's a long way to go, he said, but he's leaving the department in capable hands.

Mackereth is steeped in history and state government, he said, referring to her previous work as a legislator and as the county's human services director.

"She knows the systems very well," Alexander said. "So she very capably can take over this position and carry through with these reforms and many many more."

Mackereth said she loved being deputy secretary for the Office of Children, Youth and Families and hopes to keep children's issues a strong priority.

She said that having been in the department for a year and a half, she has a pretty good understanding of "where we are and where we'd like to go."

Members of the York County legislative delegation were on hand for the news conference.

State Sen. Mike Waugh, R-Shrewsbury Township, said Mackereth's York County roots should serve her well, "not to mention that she's very bright and a dynamo."

"We're so proud of her in York we could just bust," he said.

@angiemason1; 771-2048

About Bev Mackereth

Bev Mackereth has been deputy secretary for the state public welfare department's Office of Children, Youth and Families since November 2011. She has been named acting secretary for the public welfare department.

Previously, Mackereth has served as director of York County Human Services, a state representative for the 196th district and executive director of the Healthy York County Coalition. She was deputy director of the Governor's Community Partnership for Safe Children under former Gov. Tom Ridge, and she served as mayor of Spring Grove from 1996 to 2000.

About the Department of Public Welfare

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare employs 17,000 workers and has a budget of more than $26 billion in state and federal funds, according to a news release.

The department provides services and supports about 2.2 million low-income, elderly and disabled Pennsylvanians, the release states.